Thursday, 8 February 2007

VATICAN CITY - The Holy See in a statement labeled the practice of capitalpunishment "an affront to human dignity."

The statement was issued on the occasion of the world congress on the deathpenalty held in Paris last Thursday through Saturday, and attended byseveral Catholic institutions committed to the defense of human life.

The Vatican Information Service reported the statement today.

The Holy See's declaration, originally in French, states: "The Pariscongress is being celebrated at a time in which, because of recentexecutions, the campaign against the death penalty is facing new anddisquieting challenges.

"Public opinion has become sensitized and has expressed its concern for amore effective recognition of the inalienable dignity of human beings, andof the universality and integrity of human rights, beginning with the rightto life.

"The Holy See takes this opportunity to welcome and affirm once more itssupport for all initiatives that aim to defend the inherent value andinviolability of all human life, from conception to natural end."

The statement continued: "In this perspective, it is worth noting that theuse of the death penalty is not just a negation of the right to life, butalso an affront to human dignity."

Difficult to justify

Though the Church "continues to maintain that the legitimate authorities ofstate have the duty to protect society from aggressors," the declarationexplained that in the modern world, the death penalty is difficult tojustify.

States now have new ways "of preserving public order and people's safety,"which include "offering the accused stimuli and encouragement" to mend theirways, the Holy See continued.

It added that non-lethal means of prevention and punishment "correspondbetter to ... the common good and conform more to the dignity of the humanperson."

"Any decision to use the death penalty involves many dangers," such as "thatof punishing the innocent, and the temptation to foment violent forms ofrevenge rather than true social justice," the declaration said.

It is also, the Holy See continued, "a clear offense against theinviolability of human life ... and, for Christians, an affront to theevangelical teaching of forgiveness.

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The Holy See reiterated its appreciation to the organizers of the congress,to governments, and to everyone who works "to abolish the death penalty orto impose a universal moratorium on its use."